Always Running
by GrayEyedAthena
Summary: I wanted to explore a minor character from 'Frostbitten', Reese. Why was he so scared to join the Pack? Reese/Nick, don't like don't read
1. Chapter 1

Women of the Otherworld, Reese/Nick

Reese was woken by a ringing noise. For a moment, he was puzzled, still shaking off sleep, then he realised it must be the guest cottage phone. He hunted for it and located it at last on a forgotten side-table. Reese picked up the handset. "Hello?" No answer. But with a werewolf's sharper hearing he could detect someone breathing at the other end of the line. "Hello, who is this? I think you have a wrong number."

A very familiar voice answered. "No, I reckon I have exactly the right number." Reese sat down abruptly as his knees gave way.

"Dad?" No, it couldn't be. His father didn't even know Reese was in the US.

"Yes, it's me."

"How did - how did you get this number?"

"I heard a rumour that a new kid was running around with the American Pack. A kid with a Kiwi accent. Didn't take too long to join up the dots, call in a few favours to find out the details." If he knew the number, he knew the address. Was Dad planning on *coming* here? Please, no.

"What do you want with me?"

"Hey, can't I phone up to chat with my only son, see how he's doing? No wait, technically that's 'only daughter' now, isn't it? Seeing that you're not a real man." Reese felt his stomach clench under the familiar onslaught of his father's anger. He forced himself to speak again, try to end the conversation.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to get out. Now. I'm giving you 24 hours to leave the cushy den you've found for yourself with the American Pack, get as far away as possible. Run around as a mutt again, turn into a wolf permanently, top yourself, I don't care as long as you get out. You don't deserve the place you have there, and you know it."

"They want me. This is my home now. You've said yourself I'm not your son anymore, so I don't have to listen to you, I - I don't have to do what you ask any more!" Reese put the phone down with a bang, like dropping a red hot poker. He sat still, trying to control his breathing. Every time he talked to his father, every time, it felt like he was six years old again. Like nothing had changed. He had a vivid memory of Dad shouting at him when he was a child, so angry it made him wet himself in fear. No, things were different now, he wasn't going to let his father dominate him. When the phone rang again, he disconnected it.

At the main house, over a leisurely breakfast, Nick frowned at him. "You're looking kind of shaken up. Did something happen?"

"No. No, nothing happened," lied Reese. "Hey, d'you fancy going out for a run this morning? I haven't Changed in a while, maybe that's what's making me nervous."

"Oh, sure. Maybe the others'll come, too." They finished the pancakes in companionable silence. As they cleared away the dishes, the phone in the other room rang. "Would you mind getting that?" asked Nick. "I don't want to answer if it's Elena bugging me again."

"What's she calling you for?"

"Oh, she's been trying to pick out a birthday present for Clay, wants some ideas. The guy is hard to buy for, I'll give her that. Anyway, would you? She's been driving me crazy."

Reese walked into the living room and picked up the phone. It was shaped like a goofy novelty football, probably one of Nick's 'finds'. He'd been half-expecting it, but the voice on the other end still made his heart sink.

"Hello, is that Reese? I have a message for him."

"I'm not going to listen to you." Put the phone down, put the phone down.

"Oh, I think you are. Because I'm going to *tell* them. See how much they want you when they know your dirty little secret. I'm going to phone this number in 24 hours, and all the other numbers I have. The whole American Pack is going to know, and if you don't leave, they'll kill you. They'll have to. I don't suppose they'll bother to hunt you down if you run far enough, though, so I'd start running now." *He wouldn't*. Of course he would. Reese knew too well what his father was capable of.

"Why should they believe you?"

"Hell, I'm your father. I can list your every scar, freckle, personality problem. They'll believe me."

"Please," Reese knew he sounded pathetic. "Don't do this."

"Pleeease!" mocked his father in a falsetto voice. "What do you want from me? I'm giving you a warning, I think that's more than enough considering what you are. You have until half nine tomorrow morning before I call the numbers."

This time, his father hung up on him.

Nick wandered into the room as Reese replaced the receiver numbly. "So was it Elena?" he asked.

"No, just a salesperson."

"You should be more firm with those guys. Hang up on them! You were standing there talking for about half an hour." Nick gestured expansively. "That's minutes of your life you won't get back, you know."

"Yeah, you're right." Shit. What was he going to do?


	2. Chapter 2

Autumn was drawing in now. Sub zero, crisp nights that meant freezing when you Changed back after a run and had to find your clothes - not something Reese was used to. The cold, not the running, that was. He'd always been running, human and wolf. And now, it seemed, he would have to again. Reese tried to think of alternatives. Could he disconnect the phones, or 'accidentally' break them? No, his father had the other numbers for the Pack anyway. And the Sorrentinos were bound to notice something suspicious like that, they weren't stupid.

Nick bounded out of the trees toward him and barked an enthusiastic greeting, breaking his reverie. Even in his wolf form, Nick was unfailingly friendly to Reese. Never even snapped at him when Reese got maybe more than his fair share of the prey, just nudged him aside. At first, Reese had been suspicious, trying to figure out what this guy and his Pack's motives were. When their 'nice' facade was going to crack and reveal their true colours. But months afterward, Nick and the others were still the same. Maybe he was a genuinely nice guy. _Yeah, and maybe those Russians who took your fingers really did want to show you the delights of Anchorage, not bury you in a shallow grave_. You couldn't trust anyone. Not really. When Nick found out his secret, Reese was sure he'd be just as disgusted as the others.

Still, it was good to have his company.

The other wolf jogged beside him through the forest, dodging tree branches and frightening small animals. Reese could hear the enticing sounds of prey scuffling beneath the carpet of fallen leaves, desperately trying to escape them. But today was just a run, not a hunt. Nick made the gruff sound Reese had learnt to interpret as his wolf laugh, and increased the pace. He wanted a race? Fine by Reese. The trees blew past now as he pumped his legs harder, losing himself in the chase. Reese snapped playfully at the heels of his competitor as he got closer. An adrenaline high soared through him, and he remembered why he loved wolf form so much.

Realising that Reese was faster than him on the straight, Nick tried to lose him, jinking and weaving through the forest. He led Reese under hollow logs, over low lying branches, moving so quickly it looked almost like flying. But Nick's strategy had a flaw - even when Reese lost sight of the other wolf, he could still smell him. He followed the trail, determined to catch up and win. Reese concentrated hard at separating Nick's scent from the myriad others in the forest (pine marten, vole, rabbit, deer, rotting leaves, was that a squirrel?) and tracked his twists and turns, 'seeing' his trail as glowing colours in the air.

_This will be the last time you ever run with Nick. _He shrank from the idea. Shut up, stupid human thoughts.

Distracted, he noticed too late the overhanging branch in his path. There was no time to swerve around, he was moving too fast. Reese felt a splitting pain in his head and was brought to an abrupt halt, stars shooting across his vision. Dizzy blackness swallowed him up.

When he came to, Nick was standing over him, looking worried. He nudged Reese with his snout. Reese tried to explain his stupid accident, forgetting he was in wolf form. All that came out was a whine. He knew he sounded pathetic, and closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see Nick looking so damn concerned at his weakness. A tongue licked his bruise, and Reese fought the urge to bite or claw. Nick was just trying to help.

The other wolf pantomimed going for help, and Reese shook his head hurriedly. He wasn't an invalid, he could walk! Reese got to his feet shakily and followed Nick back to where they'd left the clothes. Fortunately it wasn't too great a distance - their run had been circular. Every step of the way, Reese was aware of Nick's presence beside him, and resented it. He knew this wasn't a rational feeling, it was a wolf thing. Reese needed to prove he was stronger than Nick.

_And why? You don't feel like this with the others. Nick's never threatened you, you don't even tussle in the normal way because he knows you don't like it._ Reese knew why, really. He was attracted to Nick, he wanted to prove he was worthy of him. He forced the stupid feeling down. He would never reveal his secret again, he knew what it led to. Disgust. Rejection. Murderous rage. And Nick would feel that way about him in less than a day's time when his Dad told the Pack. Might as well try to enjoy his friendship while it lasted.

When they got back to the clothes, Reese padded aside into a nearby thicket and Changed. It was always painful, but this time combined with his bump on the head it nearly made him pass out. Reese clung determinedly to consciousness, completed the Change and got dressed. He'd made it a rule always to dress straight after Changing with others around. The Pack seemed to give no thought to hanging around naked all afternoon following a run, but Reese never felt comfortable doing that.

He heard Nick call out, "You finished?" and made his way back to the clearing, where he saw with relief that Nick was fully dressed too.

"So what happened?" asked his friend, "How'd you manage to knock yourself out?"

"Ran into a branch," mumbled Reese, embarrassed. What a crappy end to his last ever run with someone else. Well, maybe running with other wolves was over rated, anyway.

"What did you say?"

Reese pitched his voice slightly louder. "Ran into a branch."

Nick snorted and tried not to laugh. "Sorry, I shouldn't mock. Must've hurt."

"You're telling me! Hey, promise me you won't tell the others about this. It'd just be too embarrassing."

"I'll try to resist the temptation." They started to walk back to the house.

Reese felt his head gingerly and found a spot that felt tender when he pressed it. Luckily his fur had prevented an actual cut. "Great, I'm probably going to have an enormous goose egg."

"Goose egg?"

"You know, a big raised bruise. A lump."

"Don't think I've ever heard that phrase before. Must be an Aussie thing." Reese had let the Pack think he was Australian. Aussie, Kiwi, their ears couldn't tell the difference in accents, right? And it was best to keep their info about him as vague as possible, just in case they found out his secret. But for some reason he corrected Nick. Hell, his friend would find out soon enough anyway.

"Actually, it's a Kiwi thing. I come from New Zealand."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Is that so? Not many werewolves in those parts, I hear. Hey, do I get to find out your home town? Might even have been there... Did you run away from home to see the world, or what?"

Abruptly, his sharing mood was over. "No." Reese turned away and set off briskly for the guest cottage, just wanting to get out of there.

"Wait!" Nick chased after him. "Look, I'm sorry if I touched a nerve. I'm not going to make you tell me if you don't want to." Sure, Nick, the famous torturer, extractor of information. Hardly. That was more Clay's side of things ... and what would Clay do to him when he found out? That made for an unpleasant day-dream. He'd seen the pictures of what Clay did to mutts who'd offended him. "Hey, listen," continued Nick, "Do you want to head out this evening, grab a few beers with me and Antonio? Maybe that'd distract you from your bump on the head."

No, going out was bad. It'd lose him valuable running time, particularly if it turned into an all-nighter. "No thanks. I'm going to take an early night."

"C'mon, you always have fun when we drag you out of the house! You just never go unless we force you."

"No, honestly, not tonight."

"We're going to the Horseshoes," wheedled Nick. "I know it's your favourite bar. Hey, you never know, tonight you might get luc - "

Something inside Reese snapped. "Look, why do you have to be so God damn nice all the time? Maybe I don't want your company. Why don't you piss off and leave me alone!" His words ended in a snarl. Nick's face fell, and he turned away, wordless. Reese immediately regretted his outburst, but he couldn't take it back, and the irrational anger was still filling him. So he fled like a coward to the house.

Antonio greeted him as he came into the kitchen. "Hey, Reese. Have you seen Nick? I heard he was out running with you."

"He decided to stay out a while longer," lied Reese. "Say, do you have any chores need doing?" He'd welcome anything to take his mind off what was to come.

"Well, there's not much at this time of year. All the real jobs are over, since we got the herd indoors last week."

"Does that mean you don't need me to stay on for the winter?" Maybe he could leave honourably.

"What? No! You know you're part of the family now, we want you to stay. Jeremy was hoping you'd consider Pack membership, actually."

Reese didn't know what to say. He felt so torn - this was a life, a great life, that he couldn't have. That he'd have to turn his back on.

"I know you need time to think about it, but please stay on with us until you have."

"Thank you. I - I'm honoured." Nick heard the screen door open, signalling Nick's entrance into the house. "Are you sure there aren't any chores that need doing?" he asked again, hastily.

"Well, I guess you could always sweep the leaves off the lawn," joked Antonio.

"Think I'll do that. See you later." Reese hurried out, not fast enough to avoid bumping into Nick. His friend didn't speak, just looked at Reese differently. There was an anger and hurt in his eyes that Reese had never seen before. _Get used to it_.


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later and Reese's back ached from bending over with the rake. There was a lot of lawn on the Sorrentino estate, and he'd covered nearly every inch of it, sweeping the leaves into neat piles then bagging them. Might as well do something useful before he left.

He grabbed something for lunch from the kitchen and ate it outside, trying to avoid Nick. Noah wandered over. "Hey, do you want to play Super Smash Brothers? Grudge match since you beat me last time."

"Sure." It'd be nice to spend some time with the kid before he left, as a sort of a goodbye. He'd gotten fond of Noah - the boy reminded him of his own younger brother. How old would Jonas be by now? Seventeen? Eighteen? He was embarrassed that he couldn't remember.

It was also another way to avoid Nick.

As expected, he failed the game miserably - he wasn't as dedicated as Noah at the best of times, and at the moment he was just too distracted. "Aw, come on," Noah laughed, "This is too good! Epic win!"

"I guess luck's just with you today."

Reese spent the rest of the afternoon at the guest cottage, watching until he was saw Nick and Antonio had left for the evening. Then he packed, hastily. There wasn't much he could think of to take with him - the little money he had earnt from his summer job here, a change of clothes, some food. He tended not to accumulate possessions. Last there was the note to write.

_Dear Antonio,_

_I apologise for leaving so suddenly, but I can't accept the offer to join the Pack. I think you'll soon understand why. Thank you for your hospitality and kindness. Tell Noah I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. Tell Nick -_

Tell Nick I love him. Tell him I'll understand if he hates me. I can't bear it if -

Reese scribbled out the lines fiercely, tearing the paper. He threw the note away and made a new version that didn't mention Nick at all, leaving it on the coffee table in the tiny guest cottage lounge. It should be easy enough to spot from the door. Then he slung his rucksack over his shoulder and left.

By dawn, he knew he wasn't going fast enough running on foot. Reese hadn't wanted to steal one of Antonio's cars - it'd be ungrateful, and besides, it'd give the Sorrentinos another reason to hunt him down. Perhaps he could hitch a lift? No, no-one picked up hitch-hikers anymore. Then he saw the obvious solution and Changed, the pain making the bump on his head twinge again. Then Reese ran through the trees beside the highway in wolf form, carrying his rucksack in his teeth.

A couple of hours later and even the light items he'd packed felt too heavy to keep carrying, making his jaws ache. Hell, all he really needed was the money. Reese found it in the rucksack, rooting around awkwardly with his snout, then pushed the rest of the stuff under a pile of fallen leaves. He carried the wallet in his teeth, and kept on running.

As it turned midday, he reached a suburban area, the beginning of the first big city along from the Sorrentinos' place. Reese realised he had to change to avoid attention - there were too many people around, no way he could pull the 'I'm just a big friendly stray dog' trick here. So he stole a pair of shorts hanging on a back yard washing line (leaving a few coins in their place out of guilt) and continued running, as a human this time. The second Change took it out of him. He'd been getting too soft sitting around the past couple of months, only doing farm chores, not running enough. Just keep going. OK, so he attracted a few stares. Maybe he should have grabbed a shirt as well. And some shoes. He tried to keep to the least-busy streets, jogging through the town as fast as he could. He bought some hot dogs from a street seller on the way past, unable to resist the aroma.

Thankfully, he managed to find another patch of woods in the suburbs beyond the city, so he could stay out of sight. Reese skirted the edge of another main highway, he didn't know which. Should really have brought a map instead of just relying on wolf senses. At least he could tell he was going due north from the Sorrentinos', jogging through the forest behind the broad inhabited strip beside the road. Reese should Change again, so he could run faster, but he was too tired to bother. So he just kept going, stumbling along in human form.

As darkness drew in, Reese knew he should be feeling hungry. He hadn't eaten anything aside from the hot dogs, and Changing needed extra energy. But somehow, he wasn't. Or rather, the hunger was there, but it was dull, uncomplaining, easy to ignore. He was bone-weary though, and was forced to stop before he collapsed. Reese made one last effort and Changed into wolf for warmth, then curled up in a nest of fallen leaves under a hollow log.

As soon as he awoke, he started running again, remembering to take the wallet and shorts with him, so he wouldn't have to steal.

Around noon the next day, he came across a clearing near a group of houses that was obviously an unofficial kids' playground. He spotted a couple of 'dens', evidence of a campfire, and a tire swing hanging from a bright blue nylon rope.

Rope.

It came to him in a blinding flash. Why hadn't he seen the solution before? It was the only way to stop running, the only way to release himself from the burden of his secret. He'd never live a normal life, even as a werewolf, so why not just - end it? How hard could it be? A moment of pain, then oblivion. It'd save any of his Pack friends from having to do it if they ever found him. And he didn't think he could stand another fall into thievery to get the credit cards he needed to keep going, another encounter with mutts, another fight, another pointless killing. Another set of hotel rooms, cities, plane tickets ...

He Changed into a human again, (thankful for the shorts) and unfastened the rope from the tire swing. _Sorry, kids_. Then he made his way with it deeper into the woods, trying to go far enough that no unsuspecting children would find his body. Make it an hour's run, to be safe.

Reese found a suitable clearing, but he was still fumbling with the noose much later, stupid missing fingertips making him clumsy as always. What kind of knot did a hangman's noose need, anyway? Something secure, that wouldn't come loose when he put his weight on it. Reese had seen enough cowboy movies to know that the knot went at the back of the neck, so it'd snap cleanly. He almost had it - then the damned thing came undone again. Reese swore under his breath. He should've stolen one of Antonio's guns when he had the chance, that would have made things simpler. Well, he couldn't go back there now.

Look at him, he couldn't even kill himself properly. It was almost funny.

Finally, Reese got something rigged up and attached to a tree branch. Yes, he'd just grab onto the branch, haul himself up, stick his neck through and let go. It should be quick. Just had to haul himself up...


	4. Chapter 4

Apologies for the delay in this last installment. I've had a cold for the past few days, hence the lateness. Anyway, please read & review!

* * *

Just had to haul himself up...

Shit. He couldn't do it.

C'mon, think of Nick. You're going to make things so much easier for him by doing this. No, it was a mistake to think of him. Nick's hurt face flashed through Reese's mind. _How much more hurt will he be when he finds your body?_ Less hurt than if he had to kill you himself. Come on, you coward. Time to stop running. But he couldn't move.

He stood there looking at the noose for what felt like forever. Then he heard someone approaching through the leaves nearby, and froze.

"What do you think you're doing?" Nick's voice. He spun round to see his friend emerge from the trees.

"You weren't meant to see this," Reese said, mouth on autopilot. "Please, just - "

"Oh, what was I meant to see? Your _corpse_? Did you think that would be _fun_?" He punched Reese hard enough to knock him sprawling into the dirt, removing the vague idea that this must be an illusion. "What were you thinking? Why did you leave without even speaking to anyone?" Reese wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. His body went into fight or flight mode, an instinctive response he didn't bother to suppress. Flight, flight would be good, right out of here. Reese tried to run, but another punch caught him in the shoulder and made him stagger. "Talk to me! Don't you fucking run away!"

"I have to go," Reese gasped, and turned to leave again, but another punch was coming at him so he blocked automatically. From then on, it was just another fight, although his mind was still screaming at him that he needed to run, _now_, before Nick was forced to kill him. But the kicks and the punches and blocks flowed relentlessly, and he had to respond. A roundhouse kick sent Nick sprawling to the floor but he was quick to grab Reese's ankles and pull him down to the dirt too. There was a strangling, clutching struggle and Nick ended the winner, pinning Reese in a vicious chokehold.

"How do you like dying now, huh?"

Reese gasped for air, scrabbling at Nick's fingers. "Please!"

"Do you want to live? Say it!" This was a level of cruelty he never thought Nick capable of.

"I want to live." It was barely a whisper but Nick heard it. For some reason, he slackened his hold so Reese could breathe again.

"Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about? What's gotten into you?"

"You must know. Please, it's better if you just let me leave. You don't have to kill me. I'll find some way to do it myself soon enough."

"Kill you? Why the hell would I kill you? Have you gone crazy?! I was just trying to stop you killing _yourself_!"

"You - you didn't get the phone call?"

"No, what call?"

"My father, he was going to call you." Reese realised this meant Nick still didn't know his secret.

Oh.

"As soon as I found your note, I got in the car and started tracking you. I don't know anything about a phone call." Idiot thoughts began in Reese's head. _He never needs to know! Ask him to run away with you!_ He quashed them.

"I expect Antonio will have got the call. It doesn't matter, anyway. I have to leave, you'll know why soon enough. I'm sorry."

"You're not just leaving. In case you hadn't noticed, I have you pinned. Anyway, whatever it is, we can sort it out. Jeremy's seen it all before - werewolf feuds, killings - I know that you've put it behind you. Your past doesn't matter any more. The Pack still wants you."

"I don't think they'll want me any more."

"Jesus, what is it? What did you do that's so bad? Did you kill a human?"

"No."

"Well, what is it, then?"

Reese realised he'd have to say it. "Will you release me first? I promise I won't run." Nick released the hold and sat back on his heels expectantly. Reese would try to run, but he knew he was exhausted, probably wouldn't get far. Might as well stay here. Maybe being killed by Nick wouldn't be so bad. He just didn't want to hurt his friend, give him a guilty conscience. "Listen, I'll understand what you have to do. It doesn't make you a bad person."

"I'm not going to do anything to you. Just tell me."

He hesitated, then blurted it out. "I'm unnatural. A freak. I'm - I'm gay." Reese closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable attack. "Make it quick - "

"I know."

"What?" Reese's eyes snapped open. How could he already know? Reese had tried to be so careful. And why wasn't Nick attacking, just looking at him strangely?

"I know. I think I've known for a while. Is that it? Your secret, the one you thought we were going to kill you for?"

"Yes."

"Jesus, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Why would we kill you for _that_?"

"It's the way of things. Werewolves are like men, but better, stronger. More macho. Someone like me is a weakling, a freak who doesn't deserve the name werewolf. Who doesn't deserve to live." And didn't the rest of Dad's lectures come back to him like a bad dream? "You must know because I'm weaker than the others. I'm clumsy."

"Who told you that? You're as strong as anyone, faster than most. Look at how far you ran if you want proof of that. In the car it took me hours to cover the distance."

This conversation wasn't going the way he'd imagined. "I ran into that branch yesterday, didn't I?" Yesterday? Or the day before? It had blurred. "A real werewolf would never do something like that. I don't think Clay's ever even tripped up."

"Listen, I've been tripping up Clay since he had a snotty nose. He's no different to the rest of us. Who's been feeding you these lies?" Nick scowled. "I'd like to get hold of him, teach him a lesson or two. Just because you're attracted to different people doesn't make you any less of a werewolf. And it certainly doesn't mean you have to die."

"You - you really think that?" This was bizarre, incredible.

"Of course."

They sat in silence for a while, as Reese tried to take it in. There was something indefinably comic about the situation, and Reese dissolved into helpless laughter, almost hysterical. Nick didn't hate him. Nothing else mattered, compared to that. But - he sobered up - "The others are still going to kill me if I come back, though, aren't they?"

Nick looked shocked. "No!"

"But by now they'll have found out."

"Reese, you're not listening to me. They _won't care_. They'll still want you."

"How do you know? In New Zealand they'd - "

"This isn't New Zealand." Nick sighed. "I never told you how I knew you were gay. It's not because you're weaker than the others. It's because -" The kiss, when it came, was as brief and unexpected as lightning from a clear blue sky. The sweet, heady sensation had him close his eyes automatically, savouring it. They snapped open a moment later as Nick drew back.

"What - ?" Reese gasped, too stunned to form a coherent sentence. His whole world-view had been turned on its head.

Nick smiled gently. "Because I'm like you."

"Do - do any of the Pack know? About you?" Then thought made Reese's head spin.

"My father. Jeremy. I don't know about the others - I'm sure most of them've guessed. And before you ask, they're fine with it." Then Nick turned away, frowning. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that just now. I don't even know if you think of me that way. I just - I never made the first move because I'm a coward, I guess, I was just so scared that I'd been reading you wrong and I'd freak you out, lose a friend ... And then seeing you with that God damned noose - " His voice trailed off. "I couldn't stand to lose you that way."

It was too incredible to countenance. Maybe he was already dead and - undeservedly - in Heaven. "You have feelings for me?"

"Since the moment I met you. I understand if you don't - if you're not - " Reese gathered up his courage and pressed Nick's lips shut with a return kiss, and there was no more talking for a while.

Finally, reluctantly breaking away from their embrace, Nick murmured, "We'd better get home. Antonio'll be worried." Home. Reese's tiredness seemed to weigh heavily down on him now, making him sway on his feet. But at the thought of a true home - of someone to come home to - he felt his heart lift in a surge of joy. All through his life, he'd thought he'd been running away, like a coward. But perhaps he'd been running to here, to this moment. Perhaps he'd been running home.


End file.
